Hanigan, Janish in

It looks like Ramon Hernandez and Alex Gonzalez are getting a break today, which is seems like a very good idea. Ryan Hanigan and Paul Janish are in the lineup tonight, as is Darnell McDonald in right field.

Jay Bruce is hopeful that he can return to the lineup on Tuesday at Chicago. He was planning on hitting off of a tee today and is scheduled to do some hand strength tests with strength and conditioning coordinator Matt Krause.

“That’s my goal but I can’t say definitely,” Bruce said about Tuesday. “It’s continuing to get better. I’m doing the icing stuff to get it right and get back out there.”

Cold, rainy weather in the Chicago forecast and the Cubs pitching staff aren’t optimal conditions for a return from this type of injury.

“Aches and pains and Harden, Lilly and Zambrano,” manager Dusty Baker said. “I hope so but if not, we’ll go with our other dudes. We don’t want this to be a chronic thing.”

With Bronson Arroyo pitching tonight, Hanigan will have caught all three of his starts. Arroyo used to have a personal catcher in David Ross, who eventually moved from a backup to a starting role. Baker said that Hanigan isn’t Arroyo’s personal catcher.

“They work good together plus Arroyo has kind of a different set of signs,” Baker said. “I don’t really like that designated catcher thing but it’s the way things have worked out. Hanny has caught everybody and Ramon has probably caught Arroyo the least by the time he got back to Spring Training.”

In blogs and comment sections in MLB.com stories, I’ve read a lot of complaints about Willy Taveras. Although hitting .267, he’s hit safely in six of 10 games. His on-base percentage is .410. That’s about all you can ask from a leadoff hitter.

From the Elias Sports Bureau:

Micah Owings has three game-winning RBIs as a pinch-hitter in his Major-League career (two in 2008). Over the last five seasons (2005-2009), the only other pinch-hit game-winner by a man who makes his living on the mound was by Jason Jennings, for Houston on Aug. 2, 2007.

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So Hanigan isn’t labeled as Arroyo’s personal catcher, but I believe he clearly is. I have no complaints on Taveras. He has played great defense and gets on base. Like you said, it’s all you can ask for from a leadoff hitter.Russhttp://wight4256.mlblogs.com

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